India enter knock-outs after victory

India qualified for the knock-out stage of the Asian Games football competition for the first time since 1982 after outplaying Singapore 4- 1 in Guangzhou on Thursday. India fired three quick goals in the second half to register their first win in the tournament which helped them finish third in Group D with three points.

India made it to the knock-out Round of 16 on better goal difference. In 2002 and 2006, they had missed out on the same basis. In another match, defending champions Qatar beat Kuwait 2-0 to top Group D with seven points from two wins and a draw. Kuwait finished second in the group with six points from two wins.

Jewel Raja (13th), Balwant Singh (62nd), Khagembam Jibon Singh (67th) and Maithani (75th) scored for India while Lou Zhenlun reduced the margin for Singapore in the 83rd minute. The top two teams from each of the four groups and the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the Round of 16.

The final six group matches of the competition will be played on Saturday but India have secured a place in the knock-out round as Uzbekistan and Maldives, the third-placed teams of Group E and F respectively, have been eliminated. India, who earlier lost 0-2 and 1-2 against Kuwait and Qatar respectively, have a better goal difference of zero than Uzbekistan (minus one) while Maldives have two points after three matches.

Coach Sukhvinder Singh started with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in goal with Laxmikant Kattimani yet to recover from the injury he suffered during the match against Qatar.

Fanai Lalrorama was brought in defence in place of Robert Lalthlamuana, who was suspended after a double booking. Jewel Raja put India ahead but they went into the breather still unsure of a knock-out round berth. They came out in the second half firing on all cylinders and pumped in three goals in the space of 13 minutes.

Sukhvinder did not make any substitutions in the match and it was commendable for the boys to play the full 90 minutes and come out winners against the opponents who had played out a goalless draw againt Qatar.

- With inputs from PTI

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